Kroger announced Monday new investments in employee benefits, education and wages as retailers across the board are spending more on their employees to keep pace in a tighter labor market.

Last week, Kroger said it planned to hire for 11,000 new positions, including 2,000 management roles. At that time, it said would invest $500 million in associate wages and training and development over the next three years.

The grocer has attributed the investments to more funds as result of recent tax law changes.

I know, I know - it’s Kroger: and it’s just crumbs. But it is a darned sight better than the economic news that emerged routinely during the Obama Occupation. In fact, 8 more years of Obama-era policy and we might be reporting the same kind of news as Venezuela’s:

Despite having the greatest oil reserves in the world, Venezuela’s government is being forced to spend millions of dollars a day importing crude to prop up its ailing industry.

“One of the craziest things is that a part of Venezuela’s imports is for the domestic market, but given its price, they practically give gasoline away for free. They are importing barrels that cost $80 to $90 and selling them at $0.”